Overall health District receives state honor for ongoing response to derailment

The Columbiana County Overall health District has received the Ohio Division of Overall health Director’s Award for its ongoing response to the East Palestine train derailment. Pictured are Ohio Division of Overall health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, left, with Columbiana County Overall health Director Dr. Wesley Vins. (Submitted photo)

LISBON — The Columbiana County Overall health District has received the Ohio Division of Overall health Director’s Award for its ongoing response to the East Palestine train derailment. Ohio Division of Overall health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff commended the district and its employees though presenting the award to Columbiana County Overall health Commissioner Dr. Wesley J. Vins at this year’s Ohio Public Overall health Conference.

The wellness district has been involved in numerous elements of the response which includes the improvement and implementation of the potable water sampling program that informs sampling for private water wells in the location and permits the chance for residents who have been impacted by the derailment to have their water co-sampled by the wellness district and Norfolk Southern at no expense. Along with peace of thoughts, this ongoing sampling plan has offered a total of 442 sets of final sample final results to date.

The wellness district led state and federal partners in opening and operating the short-term Overall health Assessment Clinic at Initial Church of Christ in East Palestine.This absolutely free clinic offered residents who had wellness queries or issues connected to the derailment the chance to speak with health-related and mental wellness experts. The clinic was open for 28 days and served 338 men and women.The Columbiana County Overall health District also initiated the establishment of the permanent Overall health Clinic situated in East Palestine which is now operated by East Liverpool City Hospital and continues to serve residents with derailment connected wellness issues absolutely free of charge.

“This is a testament to our public wellness partnership from the regional to the federal level. Partners are our greatest strength. Our residents have benefited significantly thanks to all of the tough perform that the wellness district employees and our public wellness partners have, and continue to do,” stated Vins when asked what this award meant to the division.

Vins also took advocacy for East Palestine residents to Washington, D.C. this March when he testified in a hearing held by the Home Power and Commerce Subcommittee on Atmosphere. He focused on neighborhood recovery and the have to have for a extended-term private properly sampling plan to assure secure drinking water for properties impacted by the derailment.

The Columbiana County Overall health District was established in 1919 and accomplished national accreditation from the Public Overall health Accreditation Board in 2022.

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